The Victoria Highway was closed for almost six hours yesterday afternoon after a road train rolled near Coolibah Station.

Police received a report just before 3pm that a prime mover towing three trailers loaded with soil had rolled approximately 20 kilometres from the Coolibah Station turn-off. Police, ambulance and the Fire and Emergency Response Vehicle from Timber Creek attended the scene. Police said the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle as he was trying to make a right hand turn from a dirt access road to the Victoria Highway. The 30-year-old male driver sustained minor injuries while the 20-year-old woman in the passenger seat suffered a suspected broken leg. She was taken to Katherine Hospital by ambulance.

A second 20-year-old woman who was in the sleeping compartment when the rollover occurred was trapped when one of the trailers landed on top of the cab. Rescuers used two cranes to lift the trailer off the cab and free the woman.

She was then medivaced to Royal Darwin Hospital by RAAF helicopter where she remains in a serious condition.

The driver was arrested this afternoon and has been charged with numerous offences including driving without a seatbelt, having a passenger in the vehicle without a seatbelt, driving recklessly causing harm and driving with alcohol in the blood.

A bail application is expected to be made and he will appear in court at a later date.

Officer in Charge of the Timber Creek Police Station Brevet Sergeant Michael Lunney said the driver was extremely lucky not to have been involved in a fatal.

"It is simply unbelievable that someone driving a heavily loaded road train would drive without a seatbelt, and allow anyone else in the vehicle to do the same.," Sgt Lunney said.

"And I find it absolutely incredible that this same person would be driving such a vehicle after having been drinking. All I can say is they were all extremely lucky to survive."




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Theresa Kuilboer
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